The short version: LED glass basketball courts are now approved for elite competition, matching the performance of traditional wood while enabling dynamic lines, live tracking, and full-video displays.
Key takeaways
- FIBA approved LED glass flooring for Level 1 competitions starting October 1, 2022.
- Approved glass floors match wood in shock absorption, vertical deformation, and ball rebound.
- Ceramic dots provide slip resistance and grip without causing skin burns during falls.
- Venues can switch court markings instantly, eliminating downtime between different sports.
- Full-video floors support live player tracking, replays, and interactive fan engagement.
How Do LED Glass Courts Meet Official Playing Standards?
Traditionally, elite Level 1 competitions have been played only on wooden flooring. However, FIBA's Central Board approved the use of LED glass flooring at Level 1 competitions, with the rule officially coming into force on October 1, 2022. Rule change opens door for state of the art court flooring at FIBA competitions | About FIBA FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2022 set to come into force October 1 | FIBA Basketball
According to FIBA rules, the floor surface for Level 1 and Level 2 competitions can be made of permanent or mobile wooden flooring, or permanent or mobile glass flooring. FIBA approved glass floor systems provide the same performance properties as wooden floors, having passed all required tests for shock absorption, vertical deformation, vertical ball behaviour, and sliding properties. FIBA Official Rules 2024 Official Basketball Rules And Basketball Equipment FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre approves glass floor | FIBA Basketball 6. Technology trends | FIBA Venue Guide
To comply with official FIBA equipment standards, the basketball floor must be a minimum length of 32,000 mm and a minimum width of 19,000 mm. Additionally, the floor must feature an antiglare surface.
What Are the Biomechanical and Safety Specifications?
The slip resistance of the flooring must have an average value of greater than or equal to 80 and less than or equal to 110, according to EN 13036. Force reduction must measure between 50% and 75% under EN 14808, while vertical deformation must remain between 2.3 mm and 5.0 mm under EN 14809.
Ball rebound must be greater than or equal to 93% according to EN 12235. Resistance to wear must be less than or equal to 80 mg according to EN 5470.
According to ASB CEO Christof Babinsky, the GlassFloor features ceramic dots for grip that provide equal levels of control across the surface without causing skin burn when falling.
How Do MultiSports and LumiFlex Technologies Differ?
Two distinct glass floorings offered by ASB GlassFloor have been approved by FIBA's Equipment & Venue Centre: the ASB MultiSports and the ASB LumiFlex. The ASB MultiSports is a glass sports floor with LED marking lines under the floor, whereas the LumiFlex court is a full video floor.
The ASB MultiSports system utilizes individual illumination of single-game lines, allowing only the lines of the sport being played to be visible. These sports lines can be switched on and off by means of a touchpad, providing greater efficiency for multi-sports stadiums with no downtime for changing floors.
FIBA has issued specific license numbers for these approved models. The ASB Glassfloor ASB Multisports is a fixed safety glass floor approved under license GF-056-01. The ASB LumiFlex is approved as a fixed or portable safety glass floor under license GF-056-02, while the ASB LumiFlex S 1.0 is a portable safety glass floor licensed under GF-056-03. LED Flooring - FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre | About FIBA
What Live Graphics and Tracking Capabilities Are Possible?
According to the article "FIBA unveils innovative world-premiere ASB GlassFloor court in Madrid," the state-of-the-art court, introduced for the very first time at an official FIBA competition, is a full video floor allowing for interactive applications. The technology behind it is LumiFlex, which features a 27-million-pixel LED screen that sits under a glass sport-court surface. FIBA unveils innovative world-premiere ASB GlassFloor court in Madrid | About FIBA 10 standout moments from 2024 NBA All-Star weekend | NBA.com
The glass floor system can also connect with other technologies to display real-time player statistics or tracking information. This integration makes it possible to display athletic achievements directly on the floor. tracking information
During specialized events, the digitized floor can display graphics, video, interactive games, and animations. These visual effects include design and color changes, live replays, real-time game stats, location-based player tracking animations, a dynamic three-point line, and immersive animations following key plays. Team Shannon wins 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game NBA unveils state-of-the-art LED court for All-Star 2024 events taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium | NBA.com live replays
What Are the Installation and Arena Tradeoffs?
Depending on the usage case, the LED glass floor can be provided as a fixed installation or a mobile solution. However, LED glass floors are usually deeper than classic wooden floor systems, which should be factored into the floor design. Additionally, the subfloor in the area of the installation must be level and hard-surfaced so that a forklift or other machinery with a weight of five tons can be supported.
An appropriate power supply and data connectivity are required. Furthermore, the LED panels are mounted to a frame with air-conditioning installed to keep the lights and everything else underneath cool.
The Harlem Globetrotters were one of the first basketball teams to play on the surface when they performed in Dresden, Germany in 2017 because it provided unique advantages for the team's show. The floor was used during the 2021 Ruhr Games in Bochum, Germany for 3x3 basketball, where FIBA conducted player surveys and interviews to gain firsthand insight into users' experiences. Their glass floor is now FIBA approved for level 2 and 3 competitions, and the ASB Lumiflex glass floor was unveiled at the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 in Madrid. - FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre | About FIBA FIBA approval
For venue operators, the ability to quickly switch between the court marking configurations of different sports provides venues with the flexibility to host more events within a given timeframe. The NBA unveiled the state-of-the-art full video LED court, developed by ASB GlassFloor, that will be used for NBA All-Star 2024 events taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium, though the league has said it doesn’t plan to implement these floors soon.
Interactive Training and Show Staging Capabilities
The LumiFlex court functions as a full video floor that allows for interactive training applications and enhanced show staging, with additional options for advertising.
